Child's Play
by thecat-and-thefiddle
Summary: Rated just in case. A mysterious child arises, apparently in league with Knives. Vash is the target. Can he sprout a friend in an emotionless child and save his life as well as those around him... and his fiercest opponent yet? Dedicated to: My Reviewers!
1. Dream Sequence

Okie-dokie... first chappie up... my third story so far... I want your thoughts on this! I'm taking votes on whether I should continue or not after each chapter, so if you don't put in your voice, you may not be reading anything new.

**Child's Play**

I'm too young to understand, so mommy please take my hand, guide me, daddy, through the day, help me, friends, to grow and play. I'm just a child, keep me safe and in the light, keep me from my darkest frights and help me grow to be like thee... The world is a scary thing, fillied with monsters, big and mean. They want to harm me, take me away, but you won't let them do that, no how, no way. Hold me, mommy, love me, daddy, cause existing is hard, and life is not child's play.... (written by: TheCat me!)

__

_What's... going on?_ He asked himself. His head felt like fire and his eyes seemed to tell him some one was poking them out with a cold poker.

Knives sat up in the bed he was in and looked around. He was... not where he remembered being.

The last thing he saw was his brother defeating him in a battle that was meant to the death. How had Vash gotten that blasted cross gun? If it wasn't for that, Knives would have won!

He looked over at a table. There was a bottle of water and his clothes and things not far from him. He rose and dressed. Taking the water, Knives sat back down on the bed.

_Now what? Vash won...all the Gung-ho are dead... and Legato..._ Knives poured some of the water in his hand and splashed his face with it.

_That means I will have to settle the score by my self... but I can't beat Vash... he knows it as well as I do... There's no one left to do my work for me... unless... she can...  
_

Knives reached in his pocket and felt a small box. It was only about as big as his palm and had a speaker and an antennae... a walkie-talkie of sorts. Thankfully, Vash hadn't become curious, other wise he may have discovered the secret weapon. Knives pressed a red button on the walkie- talkie as soon as he had it in front of him.

"Yes, sir?" a voice asked, emotionless and icy as ever he remembered it being. There was no easy gender to the voice, such as male or female.

"You know where I am, right?" Knives asked into the speaker.

"Yes, sir," the voice confirmed.

"Good... come find me... I have a job for you..."

"Yes, sir,"

"See you then, Staccato..." Knives chuckled as he crushed the walkie- talkie in his fist and woozily laid back down and fell asleep again.

Knives' dream consisted of many strange things which he did not under stand, and things he had never seen before, yet knew what they were and what they did. He was in the middle of riding in a shopping cart going down the frozen foods section of a convenience store looking for a spicy Colby jack nacho flavored Popsicle, being pushed by a brown cow with purple and lavender spots.

"Cocoa yap nock home?" the cow asked. Knives shrugged as they passed the end of the aisle. They walked up to a rocket ship and boarded a merry- go-round. When he got in and sat down, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Staccato, what are you doing here?" he asked, looking at some one sitting opposite of him. It was a kid, fifteen, give or take a year or so. They had blood red hair, while their skin was white as snow. They wore white clothes that bulged at the shoulders a bit. Black leather gloved the hands and half each arm, black heavy boots shoeing each foot. Crimson eyes peered out from under the bushy hair and the scowl of a mouth turned up half a corner in a smirk.

'I followed your orders, sir. I found you...' a thought spoke in Knives' mind.

"I see... how long have I been sleeping?" he asked as the ride suddenly transformed into a nice field with rabid hamsters running about.

'I received your message three days ago, left the next day, and arrived two days ago. I watched you and waited for your awakening, but then decided to speak to you here. You sounded urgent when you called me, sir,' the thought spoke again.

"So, a week, perhaps?" Knives asked. A nod came from the person.

'Interesting dream sequence here, sir,' the thought seemed to have a little giggle to it. Knives looked down at the kid's side and noticed that one arm was relatively larger than the other.

"Found your tutor's slain arm, I see? Tell me, was the extraction of your own painful?" he asked.

'Pain, sir?'

"That's right... never mind, you don't know what pain is... that's good. Legato trained you well. Do not fail me, and don't fail his memory with your assignment," Knives chuckled and patted the child's head. It was only about half his size, but deadly indeed.

"I want you... to..." Knives started, then glared his eyes slightly, knowing that the child never actually listened to anyone, they just read minds. As far as he knew, the child was deaf when a stray bullet pierced its skull at least a decade previous and contorted the child's senses. There was also a rumor that the child's pituitary gland had been messed with, stunting their growth and development of gender revealing body parts.

Knives relayed his plans to the child and watched their mouth twitch slightly.

'Are you sure this will work, sir?' Staccato asked.

"Yes, I'm sure. Just play along,"

'I am no actress, sir,'

"Then mimic the other children in the town. You're very good at that,"

'Yes, sir...' Staccato nodded, kneeled on one knee, then turned and walked into a freezer found in the desert right outside January town. Knives turned and started talking to a duck about alligator shoes with air conditioned soles that resist heat.

"Gyah! Staccato, don't do that!" Knives shouted, stepping back as he looked up from the ground to see the child standing quietly a foot away from him.

'Forgive me, sir, but your brother is here in the room with us. He cannot see me, but he seems to sense me. What shall I do?'

"Go make friends with a few of the village kids and try to blend in," Knives sighed, trying to get his racing heart rate down to normal.

'But sir, what is... friends?'

"Go, Staccato!" Knives increased his voice volume and glared.

'Yes, sir. Please forgive me for questioning your ideals...' Staccato lowered her head and started to walk off.

"No metal flashing, leave his head alone for now, keep the mind crushing to a minimum, try to speak, and be friendly... as if that's possible with you, right?" Knives chuckled. He cleared his throat when he saw her red eye look at him blankly. It was one of those rare times anyone ever saw her eyes.

She kept walking.

"Oh, and, uh... Staccato!" Knives called again. Staccato stopped, gave a short mental sigh, and turned around.

'Yes, sir?'

"Smile!" Knives laughed out loud as the white and red figure disappeared. His dream faded out and he was met with the face of his smiling brother.

"Knives! You're awake for once!" Vash said joyfully. Knives sat up and looked out the window. A white blur was visible against the yellow sand. Kids ran up to the blur and yells of happiness and fun were heard.

"Yeah..." Knives nodded. Vash went over and closed the window.

"When did this open up?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Knives.

"Not a clue. I've been sleeping," Knives smirked.

Vash tried not to laugh, but couldn't resist as he started to snort, then burst out into a fit of laughter.

"It wasn't that funny, you idiot," Knives glared.

"Coming from you, anything's funny if it has even the slightest hint of sarcasm!" Vash said, wiping his eye. "You hungry? I know I am. Come on, Milly made food down stairs," Vash said, pulling his brother along by the arm.

"Me? Eat what a human has touched?" Knives pulled his arm away.

"Oh, come on, it isn't that bad. Besides, when we're through, we can go play with the kids!" Vash said, pouting his lip. Knives' brow raised slightly.

"Indeed..." he agreed, then followed his brother. "Can I have my gun back?"

"Not until you finish all of your pancakes!" Vash said, throwing his arm around Knives' shoulders.

'Shall the plan begin sooner than you first expected, sir?' Staccato's thoughts asked in Knives' head.

'No... have patience, dear child, these things take time for them to have their best effects and give forth optimal results,' Knives smiled slightly.

'Time, then, sir,' Staccato said... then after a moment of silence. 'A male just tackled me... may I please just give him a migraine?'

'Have at him... but no more than that, dear,'

Chapter 1! Whoo hoo! How'd you like it? Should I continue? Um, just to those who aren't musicaly inclined but have a musician behind them laughing their butts off:

Legatto means: slow and easy

Staccato means: short and choppy

Vital information for your everyday life- I'm bloody full of it!


	2. Ice cream stands and Rescue plans

Chapter 2! Lookit me go! Yay! Go tall girl, it's ya birthday! We gonna party like it's ya birthday (which is 10-12)! I wanna know what you think! You reading this! Yes! You! If you don't review, your inbox will suddenly be filled with endless stupid and point-lacking chain letters threatening your love life and luck!

**Child's Play**

I'm too young to understand, so mommy please take my hand. Guide me, daddy, through the day. Help me, friends, to grow and play. I'm just a child, keep me safe and in the light. Hide me from my darkest frights. Help me grow to be like thee... The world is a scary thing, fillied with monsters, big and mean. They want to harm me, take me away. But you won't let them do that, no how, no way. Hold me, mommy, love me, daddy, cause existing is hard, and life is not child's play.... (written by: TheCat me!)

Knives sat across the table from the black haired human known as Meryl. They glared at each other as the ate. Milly was going on, talking to a less than caring Knives.

"I said, 'Nice to see you up, Mr. Knives!'" Milly shouted, getting irritated. Knives grunted and poked at his pancakes.

"He says, 'Why, thank you, ma'am. You sure are looking fine today!'" Vash said, after glaring at his brother.

"Yeah... what he said..." Knives shrugged. Meryl growled and shoved pancake in her mouth before downing her orange juice. She stood up, her eyes closed, and stomped out of the kitchen. She said nothing. Soon, the sound of furious typing was heard.

"Don't burn up the typewriter, ma'am!" Milly said, running after her co-worker.

"Um... all right then... we'll just, uh... clean up here..." Vash said to no one as he took the girls' plates and headed to the sink.

"I take it they don't like me..." Knives concluded. He lounged in his chair, sipping his juice.

"Well, considering the fact that everything that has happened has some how been related to you and you caused their work place so much money..." Vash began scrubbing a bowl used to make the batter. He looked up to the ceiling. "No, I don't think they like you at all."

"So, when do I get my gun back?" Knives asked, looking at Vash's side and seeing both guns.

"When I decide that you really have changed your ways and are fighting the good fight." Vash shrugged.

"And how do I prove my self to you?"

"Um... I don't know... you just will," Vash smiled slyly. He heard his brother sigh. Vash finished the dishes, then arranged the guns at his side so that his coat was hiding them. It wouldn't be very good for the town kids to see their favorite guy and role model slinging around lead, now would it, Vash thought.

He looked back and saw Knives looking out the window. _Never seen him so anxious to do anything... he must have really changed if he wants to go play with the kids... _

"Come on, bro!" Vash said, opening the door and walking out. Knives followed him. Suddenly, children were rushing towards them, yelling and screaming. Vash smiled and ran towards them, too. He was suddenly engulfed by the children who jumped on him and knocked him to the ground. They were laughing together and rolling around. Knives stood back and raised an eyebrow. When the kids got off and allowed Vash to stand up, they grabbed his hands and pulled him towards the fountain in the middle of the town.

"A new friend, huh?" he asked as they drug him along.

"Yeah. We met her this morning, but she don't talk much and she hasn't told us her name, yet. We just think she's a girl cause she don't play like us boys do!" a brown haired child said, hitting his chest.

"Well, we'll just have to bribe her with a little bit of ice cream and donuts, right?" Vash asked, smiling. The kids cheered. Knives glared slightly.

'Did you want to talk to me, sir?' Staccato asked.

'Yes, change your wardrobe. He knows that suit. We don't want to give it away that quickly... and try talking instead of thinking. He'll catch on if your lips don't move.'

"Uh, hi there!" Vash said, sitting beside the red haired kid who sat on the bench and stared at the waterless fountain.

"...He... llo..." she said, quietly. She kept her head down so Vash couldn't see her eyes. Her voice was slightly low for a girl. In his vision, she wore a blue shirt and baggy blue jeans.

"What's your name?" he asked. She turned her head away and saw the other kids looking at her expectantly.

'Think, Staccato... just come up with a random name!' Knives ordered.

"E...lizabeth..." Staccato turned back to Vash, still keeping her eyes down, for she had a mind power that if anyone looked into them, they could be thrown into a vegitable state. Legato had taught it to her, but died before he gave her lessons on how to control it.

"That's a pretty name..." said one of the younger boys.

"You want to, um... come get some ice cream with us?" Vash asked.

"Yes...?" She turned to Knives, who winked. "Yes, that would be... fun..." Staccato, alias Elizabeth, stood up and followed the children and Vash. She made sure to be the last kid to leave so she could stand near Knives.

'You're doing very well, so far. Keep up the act. Try to smile, you look like a mentally disturbed kid,' Knives put his hand on her shoulder. She glared at him. She never actually used emotional faces, but the feeling she gave others in their minds told them her mood.

'Oh, that's right... I forgot... you are a mentally disturbed kid...'

Once in the bar, Vash slammed his fist down on the counter. "Twelve ice creams and a dozen donuts for here!" he ordered.

The woman behind the bar turned to him and gave him an evil scowl that demanded manners from the broom headed outlaw.

"Please?" he asked.

"Coming right up," the woman glared one eye and then set about her work. The kids all sat together in one side of a booth against the window. Staccato sat on the opposite side. Her breath was knocked out of her when Vash took a running slide into her side. She looked at him and moved her arm that suddenly started to ache. She held it against her chest and rubbed her muscle.

"So, where are you from?" Vash asked, a question the other kids seemed to want to ask, but didn't know who should open their mouths first.

"Um...well...I travel with my teachers in this special kind of school, and we've been wandering so long, I can't remember where we began..." she explained, getting the talking thing down.

"So, you're not here alone, then!" a boy said, having to sit on his knees to be seen over the table.

"Not exactly..." she said as the bar tender brought the food ordered. Staccato watched the others woofing down their ice cream and donuts. She felt a weird feeling in her stomach as she looked at the sweets in front of her.

"Moo kgunna it fat?" Vash asked. If it wasn't for Staccato's physic abilities, she wouldn't have any idea what he just said.

"It's alright... Elizabeth... it won't kill you," Knives said, poking his own treat. Staccato looked down at it.

"I don't eat... sweets," Staccato said, pushing it away and looking down at her hands.

"What? You don't eat candy? Why not? Don't you like sugar?" the boys asked.  
  
"No," she shook her head.

"It's okay, guys, she doesn't have to eat it if she doesn't want to. Besides, she's probably diabetic or something," Vash said, pulling over the uneaten ice cream and doing away with it.

"Well, at least you know how to play, right? Wanna go play tag?" a boy asked.

The other boys cheered and clapped. Staccato looked confused, then shook her head. The kids were silent as they stared at her. Vash stood up, giving a hurt look at Staccato, which she detected immediately and turned away from.

"Come on, guys... let's go... hmm... let's go ride the Thomas'!" He said. The boys cheered and ran out to find the horse like creatures.

"Wanna join?" Vash asked, holding his hand out to Staccato. She placed her hand in his and followed him.

"Wah!" one of the boys yelled as a rampaging Thomas tossed him off its back.

"Vash! We think you're gonna need to ride that one! He's wild!" a brown haired boy said.

"But we found one for Elizabeth! This one's calm and gentle!" said another. Staccato looked at the calm one, then looked at the snorting wild one. She walked towards the pen where the reckless Thomas stood, waiting to be ridden. She placed her hand on his head and mounted. He snorted once and walked out, calm as a spring wind. The boys looked at her with raised eye brows and shared looks.

Soon, they were all following Vash in the desert about an ile out of town.

"Yeehaw! Faster! Faster! Faster!" the boys yelled, trying to get their Thomas' to ride at a higher speed. Staccato looked down at the one she rode. It gave a sort of moo and ran, leaving the others behind. She sent out the feeling of superiority. The other Thomas', seeing their "leader" of the herd, followed at a slightly slower pace.

'Do me a favor, would you?' Knives thought to her. After a few moments, he smirked, then felt her smile in the back of his head.

A Thomas carrying the shortest, smallest boy jolted forward at breakneck speed. The boy bounced around on its back dangerously, as if to suddenly fall off and be trampled under foot.

"Ah! Help! Mommy!" the boy started to cry. Vash kicked his steed to make it run faster, but Knives' was faster. Vash came to a stop beside Staccato as his brother raced off ahead. Knives held up his hand, showing the gleam of sunlight against black metal. Vash blinked and looked at his side. His coat was moved slightly, and there was now only one gun.

"You sneaky bastard, you..." Vash smiled and chided. He then turned to Staccato. "To think, that one of all of them to become rabid and run off... I'd think yours would be the one to do that, Liz..."

"You'd think..." Staccato turned her head to the side to keep Vash from seeing her eyes give off a glow... the same glow that consumed the ranging Thomas' eyes.

With a crack like thunder, the run-away Thomas fell to the sand, blood pouring out of a shot wound to the chest. Its tounge hung out of its mouth while its eyes stared forward in shock. Knives picked up the frightened boy and brought him back to the group. The boys cheered and clapped.

"Nice going, though you coulda done it with out letting the grim reaper in on it..." Vash shook his head.

"Whatever. Can I keep my gun, now?" Knives asked. Vash took it away.

"Nope!" he said, and put it back in it's hoister. Knives growled slightly, but sighed and turned his Thomas around for the town.

"We shouldn't risk that happening again. Come on, let's get these guys safe at home." Knives said. Vash agreed and called the boys to follow. He waited until they all passed him before he nudged his Thomas to go.

"Come on, Liz! Let's get!" he shouted over his shoulder. He stopped and looked back. She was leaning forward on her Thomas, holding her head. Vash rode over to her and put his hand on her back.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Uh... yes... I'm fine..." she affirmed, then clicked her tounge and forced her steed forward. Still an amature to her powers, Staccato would be affected if something happened to her victims while she had them under her control. Since the Thomas was killed before she could release its mind, she was struck with a powerful headache.

Staccato felt Vash's eyes bear down on her back as she rode. She paid no heed to it and just concentrated on blending in as a town kid.

End, chapter 2........

So, Love it or Shove it? I only got one vote for continue last time from drum-roll please

Shophie-chan!

Of course, it was my only vote either way... is she my only reader? Let me hear some voices, people!

YesNoYesNoNoYesNoYes? Yes, a no? Or No, a yes?

I've noticed that my paragraphs do sort of a type of thing... look at them... that's because when I up load, it's all a big paragraph and I gotta go in and MANUALLY put it in the format you see above... see how much I love you guys???


	3. I've got no strings to hold me down

Chapter 3, homies... I know I said I would wait for votes on Love or Shove, but hey... when you're a writer, you don't take other's opinions... you just type 'till the keyboard catches fire and post it on FF.net! Yeah... even my brother likes this... or, he will when I get him to read it! (and this is the leader of fanfiction haters!) If you like this one and are also a fan of Inuyasha, go read: Screw the System. Big Bad Butt Kicking!

**Child's Play**

_I'm too young to understand, so mommy please take my hand. Guide me, daddy, through the day. Help me, friends, to grow and play. I'm just a child, keep me safe and in the light. Keep me from my darkest frights and help me grow to be like thee... The world is a scary thing, filled with monsters, big and mean. They want to harm me, take me away. But you won't let them do that, no how, no way. Hold me, mommy, love me, daddy, cause existing is hard, and life is not child's play.... (written by: TheCat me!)_

"Something about that girl freaks me out, Knives..." Vash complained, plopping on the couch. Knives shrugged. He personally didn't care. He went up to his room and laid down again. Knives closed his eyes and started to fall asleep.  
The weightless rotating feeling that comes when one is half a step from sleep, when the night's dreams show their feet under the door of consciousness over flowed him. His body was still healing and required every ounce of fuel he had in his being.  
Knives was jolted awake when he saw red eyes looking at him from under darker red hair.  
"You just refuse to leave me alone, don't you?" he asked. The dream version of Staccato he saw floated before his sight, as if she were sitting on a bar stool with one leg over the other, holding her arm like a doll.  
'I never leave anyone in the world alone...' she said, flexing her held hand. There was silence for a short time.  
'Master Knives, why does Legato's arm hurt?' Staccato asked.  
"Well, the arm isn't really Legato's. It was originally Vash's arm... until I blew it off and Legato picked it up. Why did you take it in the first place?" he asked her in return. She blew slightly out her nose and turned her head away.  
"You don't know, do you? That's the same way your teacher was. Except... you surprised me today. He always was the one to consume the most sweets out of anyone I knew. You are so much like him. Why did you refuse that ice cream? I'm just curious," Knives asked.  
'I told him... I don't eat...' she explained.  
"You have to eat... the human body runs on carbohydrates and calories... the only way to get those is by eating daily," Knives said, shocked at her answer.  
'You suddenly seem to care,' Staccato's thoughts had an air of defense and sarcasm.  
"Believe it or not, I do. You're my last hope in defeating Vash... and all these worthless human scum that pollute this planet..." Knives said, standing up.  
'Is that all I am to you? Your puppet?' Staccato's eyes began to give off a golden aura. Her thoughts darkened Knives' mind.  
"Careful, m'dear... your emotion is showing..." Knives smirked. Staccato clenched her fists and stood. She slowly walked towards him, holding up her hand.  
'Emotion?' Staccato asked. Her thoughts reverberated in Knives' skull. They were laced with poison, hate, and the feeling of betrayal.  
'Oh, no, Master Knives... you have yet to see emotion! My emotion would throttle your mind, destroy your psyche, and disable you from the eye lids down... as long as you can even subconsciously send electronic messages to your heart to beat, you have not even seen a speck of emotion from me!' Staccato glared.  
Frightened, Knives stepped back.  
"N-not a step closer, now... I warn you!" Knives glared and held his fist up.  
'As if there is anything you can do against me? You're half asleep... I am in your head... do you realize how easy it would be for me to just crush you here and now?' Staccato asked, squeezing her fist. Knives felt a sudden headache come on out of no where. He put his hands to his head and fell to his knees.  
"I may be half asleep, but I'm also half awake... that gives me enough touch with reality to push a certain little switch that could easily end your life all together... remember that?" Knives asked, pulling a small silver tube out of his coat pocket. It had a small red blinking dot on one end and a dial on the other.  
The darkness and suppression in his mind faded instantly. Staccato's thoughts were nothing but fear. She stepped away as he moved closer.  
"Yes, you do, I see... you've had experience with this before... Legato had to put you in his strongest mind hold to keep you still enough for the other Gung-ho's to install a little small red dot in your head..." Knives walked in a circle around Staccato, a smirk ruling his features.  
'They drilled through my skull... no pain reliever at all... just Legato... keeping me from moving... those vile humans shot that thing into my brain... the pain... uh! Oh, god!' Staccato grabbed her head as the memory of that bloody day filled her own mind and sent her crashing to her knees.  
"Pain is life's best tutor... the dumbest animal can learn not to do something with a little pain here and there... seems to work on your kind, too," Knives said.  
'The pain... the pain...' Staccato kept thinking.  
"Pain? You haven't even felt pain yet, dear child...but, just for a little reminder," Knives turned the tube over and sought out the dial. He turned it three or four clicks and pressed the button on the other end.  
Staccato was instantly in a fetal position on her side, screaming and rolling around, holding her head in her hands. Knives' mind filled with the child's painful feelings, tinting their surroundings a different variety of reds and blacks. Knives laughed evilly and approached Staccato.  
"That little attachment in your brain is a highly explosive gadget that can go off if I set this dial to ten. You just experienced three, a smaller version of what the explosion would do to you. I from now on will have the dial at ten, incase you decide to defy me again. Maybe now you'll learn your place in life. Oh, and yes, you are my little puppet." Knives kicked Staccato in the side and stepped over her huddled form.  
"Get up, Pinocchio, you've still got work to do," Knives ordered. Staccato panted and stood. She lost her balance and fell to one knee.  
"Any questions, puppet?" he asked, just to taunt her.  
'Just one... why do you want to kill your brother, anyway?' Staccato asked.  
"Ah... a good question, child... I don't want to kill him... I just want him to realize how pathetic these human creatures are and that they need to be removed from existence." Knives explained.  
'Why?' she asked, holding her arm.  
"Simply because they are destroying the world. With a little work, this planet could become Eden- the perfect paradise. It was the dream of the humans when they first came to this planet. But, that all back fired on them, with a little help from me..." Knives said proudly, pacing an invisible line in front of Staccato.  
"But that's all a long story to tell at a slumber party when the girls need a bed time tale to lull them to sleep..." he shrugged and walked off.  
"Be gone, puppet... this master needs his rest..."  
  
Staccato opened her eyes. She tilted her head up slightly. She sat on the bench facing the town fountain. The wild Thomas grunted at her side. She twitched her mouth corner down into a mean scowl that caused a few passerby's to go out of their way to avoid her.  
'Puppet? Not me...' Staccato thought, taking the Thomas' reigns and pulling him along as she walked out of the town and headed for the nearest cave or what ever she could find where she could be alone and undiscovered.  
'Maybe I once was a puppet... ruled by the fear of that tool he carries...but guess what? What he didn't realize...' Staccato reached into her pocket and pulled out the tube that could end her life so easily.  
'He was indeed more than half asleep... it wasn't as hard as I first figured to get that string board and take it... if I must say, my acting skills have quite improved...'  
Staccato found a small oasis with a tiny pool of fresh water and a few trees. She sat in the shade on the cool grass. The Thomas sipped the water as his rider levitated the controller in front of her eyes. She glared at it, hearing a few electrical snaps and mechanical whirs. The weapon crumbled like an old candy wrapper and fell to the ground.  
'A puppet no more... my strings have been cut... now, I am free to wreck my revenge over my teacher's murderer as I see fit to do so... but just to keep Master Knives in suspense and falsehood... I'll play along...'

End chapter 3.............

So, yet again, Heart or Hate? Suggestions? Ideas? Preferences? Mistakes? Flames? Comments? Questions? Shout outs? Yeah... I love my readers... they will get shout outs if'n they reveiw...


	4. Once Upon a December

Wrote this one while watching an animal documentary... gaw, I'm weird! Anyhow, this chapter is slightly longer than the others. My newest reviewer, DragonLady4, declares that: "Staccato is a frightening creature..." and I love that remark! All for her, I updated! Ya'll better kneel down and kiss her feet! See what good comments do? They move me to write! I might do that- put in quotes from my reviewers... maybe you'll see your name up here if'n you reveiw! (no, I don't always say if'n... only when I'm trying to emphasise a point).

**Child's Play**

_I'm too young to understand, so mommy please take my hand. Guide me, daddy, through the day. Help me, friends, to grow and play. I'm just a child, keep me safe and in the light. Keep me from my darkest frights and help me grow to be like thee... The world is a scary thing, filled with monsters, big and mean. They want to harm me, take me away. But you won't let them do that, no how, no way. Hold me, mommy, love me, daddy, cause existing is hard, and life is not child's play.... (written by: TheCat me!)_  
  
"Some one looks tired," Meryl mused as she sat on the edge of the couch cushion.

"Huh? Oh, yeah... long day..." Vash blinked from his nap. He stretched and yawned.

"Where is... he?" she asked.

"Upstairs sleeping, I guess..." he shrugged.

"You refrained from putting an end to a ruthless killer, and you don't even know where he is?" Meryl asked.

"I said I guess he's upstairs! I have an idea of where he is. Does that count?" Vash put his hands up in defeat.

"Fine... but he'd better not be destroying anything!" She said, standing up.

"Iffe goh our sthuff facked uf, mim!" Milly said, walking out with several bags under her arms, in her mouth, and on her back. Meryl took one bag and held it over her shoulder.

"Well... we'll see you when we see you... so long, Vash the Stampede," Meryl said, walking towards the door.

"Wha- where you going?" he asked, jumping up.

"Our company recalled us to go investigate an explosion near December. We should be back soon enough, but you never know," Meryl explained, then opened the door and the two walked out.

"Um... bye?" Vash blinked. He rushed to the door, an idea suddenly striking him.

"Maybe Knives and I should come with you!" he called. "You know, for your own safety..." he said when he saw Meryl turn on her heels and glare.

"Faf's a hooa I-e-a, iffin't it, mim?" Milly asked Meryl, the suit case handle still in her mouth. "Ifidf, id ould onee ve one more herfon hoo harry dese pags!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Milly!" Meryl scolded. Milly spit the bag out of her mouth.

"I said it would only be one more person to carry these bags!" Milly repeated and smiled.

"Yep! She's right! See?" Vash said, picking up the bag and taking a few others. Meryl growled. Vash could have sworn he saw smoke rising from her head.

"Rrr! Fine! Go get your brother and we'll go!" She yelled. Vash smiled and ran up stairs.

"Knives! Knives, come on, let's go!" Vash shouted, opening the door and walking in. He was half expecting his brother not to be there, but to his surprise, the shorter haired one was laying on the bed, idly looking up at the ceiling. Knives turned his head to the door and raised it slightly.

"Go where?" he asked.

"Off near December. Come on! It will be fun!" Vash said, tossing his head towards the stairs.

"No thanks. I'll pass," Knives laid his head back down.

"You might get to shoot something..." Vash mused, a cat-like grin on his face. He heard Knives sigh and chuckle.

"You insist on thinking I'm a trigger happy killer, don't you?" he asked.

"Are ye not?" Vash asked, surprised.

"If I prove to you that I'm not, can I have my gun back?" Knives questioned.

"Why are you so intent on getting it back?"

"Because it's just as much a part of me as yours is of you..." Knives answered, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed to sit up.

"Hurry up, Mr. Vash! We might leave you behind!" Milly's childish voice called.

"Coming!" Vash called out the window. He pulled out the darker metal gun and tossed it at Knives.

"So, how long is it going to take to get there?" Knives asked.

"Hopefully not too long. Thanks to you, I've been traveling almost for decades on end!" Vash said accusingly.

The group headed out of town. Milly and Meryl rambled on about their work and started to imagine all the reasons for the explosion. The boys, however, hiked behind the girls, ever watchful, looking for even the slightest show of danger.

"Kind of peaceful out there, huh..." Vash mumbled uselessly.

"Yeah... almost too peaceful..." Knives glared out to the horizon.

"Of course it's peaceful..." a voice spoke softly behind them. The twins twirled around and aimed their guns at the speaker.

"Elizabeth..." Vash blinked, putting up his weapon. Knives did the same. The red haired 'girl' dismounted her Thomas and stood next to him. She patted the animal's halter less head.

"It's a desert..." she finished her sentence.

"What are you doing here?" Knives asked. He hadn't called her to follow!

"I... didn't want to be left in the town... alone..." she explained.

"Alone?" Milly asked, stopping and turning back. Meryl rolled her eyes and sighed deeply. Her head dropped and her eyes closed in frustration.

"We are in a hurry, here people... we don't... have time... for distractions!" she practically roared.

"What do you mean by alone?" Vash asked, concerned.

"My... teacher... that I was traveling with... he was killed while I was out with you and the boys..." Staccato explained.

'Nice, child... If I wasn't the one who commissioned you, I would have figured you were telling the truth,' Knives chuckled to himself.

"Oh, you poor thing... do you want to come with us?" Milly asked.

"No, she doesn't! She wants to go bother some one who's not trying to get somewhere!" Meryl shouted. Yet again, she stood unheeded.

"If it's not a problem..." Staccato nodded.

"Well, it is!" Meryl said, stepping up to the red head, pushing her co-worker and the boys aside. Finally, she was noticed.

"No, it's not. Come on, Elizabeth!" Knives said. She mounted her Thomas again and it followed the boys and Milly as they turned and left a stunned Meryl gaping at the empty scene of yellow sand.

"Come on, Ma'am! We're in a hurry!" Milly called. Meryl shook her head back to reality. She clenched her fists and growled, finally giving up and stomping off back to the head of the group. Knives slowed his pace to be side by side with Staccato.

'What are you doing here?' he asked.

'Simply following you. Is that a problem?' she wondered, looking at her hands that held to the Thomas' fur.

'Yes... considering that you have yet again disobeyed me!'

'Wow. Twice in one day. I'm on a role.' She thought in monotone, tilting her head in his direction.

'Watch your attitude, dear. I've got a small silver stopper that you seem to dislike...' he glared. He walked off ahead of her.

'Yes, sire, what ever you say...' she replied. 'Whatever you say...'

"Elizabeth, you're kinda quiet. Is something bothering you?" Vash asked. They had been traveling for over five hours, getting a start around nine A.M.

"No, sir..." she said softly.

"I think... we should take a break..." Meryl panted, sitting down on the hot sand.

"Good idea..." Milly was soon to follow. Vash sat on a near by rock while Knives sat on the ground. Staccato stood next to her Thomas as it rested beside her. It mooed agitatedly and moved to the side.

"What's wrong with him?" Vash asked.

"...that..." Staccato turned her head to the left as a giant sand worm reared its self out of the ground. It roared and shook its massive head.

'I didn't order you to do anything!' Knives mind-shouted at Staccato.

'You scream at me as if I did anything...' She turned her head to him, her features unmoving in the slightest bit. Knives looked at her wide-eyed.

"Okay, Vash, let's see you think of a plan to get us out of this mess with out firing a shot. You seem to have a knack for that," Meryl said, slowly backing up from the monster that opposed them.

"Well, first... let's just... slowly back away and give it its space..." Vash said, taking a few steps back. Everybody but Staccato cringed as Milly screamed in fear.

"Mr.Vash! Heeelllppp!" she shouted as another sand worm grew out of the ground under her. She stood on its head, crying out in despair.

Two more worms appeared. The first one roared and rushed at another one. They began to fight each other, while the other two also began to fight. Milly screamed as the one she was on lunged forward.

"Help!" she squeaked. Milly yelped as she landed in Knives' waiting arms. Vash and Meryl ran over as he set her down on the sand. She gasped a bit, then lunged at him, embracing the plant in a big bear hug.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyoutha-"

"You're welcome!" Knives shouted at her, prying her off him.

"Elizabeth!" Vash shouted. "Get out of there!"

Staccato lifted her head and looked over at him. Her Thomas sped off as fast as its feet could carry it. She calmly walked towards the group.

'What are you thinking?! You could easily be crushed!' Knives shouted at Staccato.

'I am coming to you,' She replied calmly.

"Do not worry. They have no interest in us. There is a female near by. These males are simply fighting over her. Nothing serious," Staccato said.

"Elizabeth! Watch out!" Milly shouted, pointing to her side. Staccato turned to where Milly was pointing. A dead sand worm was flying right towards her, propelled by his adversary's strength.

'What are you doing?! Don't get yourself killed!' Knives commanded.

Staccato glared at the sand worm. The dead creature suddenly began to move again. Its blank dead eyes glowed with a golden light. Nobody noticed Staccato's doing the same, as her bangs shielded her eyes from everyone. The worm righted its self and wriggled next to her. It groaned as she stroked its giant tooth. She climbed on its back. The worm scooted up to the group. Staccato reached her hand down to the others.

"Anybody want a ride?" she asked.

End, chapter four..............

Whoo! Lookit me go! I don't know how long this will be in the end... My animafia better be reviewing! They know who they are cough KimHannahHaileyLaurenRachalSammyHakumei cough

Love or Shove? Heart or Hate? I want opinions! Where I sit writing this, we are free to express! I also believe in the value of "everyone is entitled to their opinion, mean while I am entitled not to care" so if you say something I don't particularly enjoy, then OH FLIPPIN' WELL! Push da button!


	5. Ghost Speaker

Whee! Lookitme! Chapter 5! Who's yo' author?! Me! Yay. Ev'ry body clap yo hands! (and do the friday dance of joy even though its only tuesday!)

Anyways... DragonLady4 seems to be my only reader... is that right? So, she's the only one who knows what I say before and after each chapter? Cool! Hey, how ya doin? How's your cat? Do you even have a cat? I did. I like cats. I used to have about 20 of them at one time... Just for you, here ya go!

**Child's Play**

_I'm too young to understand, so mommy please take my hand. Guide me, daddy, through the day. Help me, friends, to grow and play. I'm just a child, keep me safe and in the light. Keep me from my darkest frights and help me grow to be like thee... The world is a scary thing, filled with monsters, big and mean. They want to harm me, take me away. But you won't let them do that, no how, no way. Hold me, mommy, love me, daddy, cause existing is hard, and life is not child's play.... (written by: TheCat me!)_

"So, how far is this December from here?" Knives asked.  
"Well, we're in the middle of June, so about six months?" Vash joked.  
"Eh he he," Knives scrunched up his nose and pretended to laugh.  
"About...oof! Uh... a-a-few days..." Meryl managed to say, her stomach queasy from the height, speed, and the wavy design of the sand worm's traveling.  
"Three days of this?" Milly asked, her face almost a greenish tint. She put her hand to her mouth as she retched.  
'Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea...' Staccato mind-spoke Knives.  
'Ya think?' he glared at her back.  
Staccato looked at him over her shoulder. She was standing on the sand worm's head while the others straddled the rest of it. She turned back and faced forward. Her mouth twitched into a slight smirk as she held up her hand and snapped her fingers.  
"Yah!" Meryl shouted as the worm reared up and dove towards the ground. Everybody but Staccato was thrown around violently. Knives struggled to maintain his mount. Vash now sat on his head, his crossed legs in the air. He frowned, and then sighed.  
  
Nighttime found the group Shambling about in the cold desert sand. The girls hovered around a barf hole while Vash and Knives kept a look out for more sand worms. The one the rode in on, however, didn't move a muscle.  
"Elizabeth... you seem to be good with animals," Vash said as she walked up and sat beside him. He was perched on a rock, one knee up and leaning on it.  
"Yes, sir... in a way," She agreed.  
"Where are your parents?" Vash asked, his voice solemn and quiet.  
"Dead," she replied, looking down at the ground. She felt his eyes bear down on the top of her head.  
"What?" His eyes were wide with sadness.  
"They were caught in the cross fire of a gang bout. It happened when I was only seven months old. That's when my teacher's... associates found me. They were going to just leave me there, but my teacher said I had great potential, so they brought me to him..." She explained. 'And he's turned me into this,'  
"I'm sorry..." Vash apologized.  
"Don't be. I loathe pity," She sighed and stood up. She walked over to the sand worm and sat against it.  
'Not like I ever get it...' she thought to herself.  
'Staccato!' Knives shouted. She raised her head and looked at him. He was standing in front of her. He sat down beside her and closed his eyes so the others would take him for napping.  
'Just exactly why are you here?' he asked.  
'You've already asked that question, sir,' she replied coolly.  
'Answer me...' he demanded.  
'I was struck with inspiration. Think of it... several days out of town with no one to bother us... I could get closer to Vash the Stampede quicker out here.' She explained.  
'What have I told you about thinking of your own ideas?' he asked.  
'When I was younger, you told me not to follow my own stupid objectives. Of course, now I'm older and this is not a stupid objective. A rather clever one in my own mind.' She turned her head to him slightly.  
'Well, there you go. Look at your mind... nothing but a dark abyss! You have no emotion, no feelings, no senses, no nothing!' Knives said, then chuckled slightly. 'A perfect destruction machine... and would you look at that? You also lack free will! Such a good little puppet, aren't you?'  
Staccato glanced at him. Her eyes burned with hatred. She got up and walked out of the camp.  
'Where are you going?' Knives demanded, standing up.  
'...To be alone for a while...' she replied.  
"It's dangerous out there," he said.  
"I'll be fine..." she replied over her shoulder.  
"Don't get yourself killed," he ordered.  
"Oh, no... that would be the easy way out... I'm more of the person who enjoys a challenge. Life will do," she whispered as she kept walking.  
  
Staccato walked until she was far enough away from the camp that she was certain they wouldn't be able to detect her. She stood stiffly and closed her eyes. She levitated into the air and floated there while she cleared her mind.  
'Why do I let him control me like that? Is it fear that he will do something?' she asked when her mind was completely blank and she felt a presence approaching.  
'Only you can answer that, darling. Though, it could be out of respect,' a voice replied cool, calm, flowing, and gentle.  
'But... his only weapon against me... I destroyed it... I know I did... why do I act as if he still retains it?' she asked.  
'Because you know that he can still do damage to your physical being. Do not worry. You're only human... you're not perfect.'  
'I know, sir...'  
'Although you are close enough to it... not all humans have the ability to speak with the dead as if the dead were alive...'  
Staccato remained silent, not knowing what to say or how to respond.  
'Master Knives frightens you, doesn't he? That's a problem only you can fix. And this plan you have with him... I advise you not to go through with it... but it is totally up to you. If you wish to challenge the Humanoid Typhoon, it's purely your choice. Don't allow Master Knives to make that choice for you.'  
'I have to let him choose for me... I don't have the agency to do that on my own... he took that agency from me years ago... you know, you were there...'  
'You are a human being, Staccato. You have every right to make choices on your own. Just think about it for a while. Meditate on it, sleep on it- what ever it takes. I can tell you this, though... your life will be determined by the choice you make- whether you keep living, or die. Make me proud, darling...'  
'Yes sir...'  
'Don't let him push you around. Just keep him thinking he's all that...'  
'I will...'  
'You know I'm always here for you, my student...'  
'Yes sir...'  
'You must go now, they call for you. Remember what I said,'  
'I will... master Legato...'  
  
"Elizabeth!" Vash called out, looking around in the darkness of the desert night.  
"Elizabeth, where are you?" he asked. He heard the soft puff of feet landing on sand. He turned and saw her standing there a little to his right.  
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!" he said, approaching her to give her a hug. She stepped back.  
"Oh, come on, it's not like I'm poisonous or anything," Vash said, his arms down by his sides.  
"I'm not the affectionate type..." she replied and headed back for camp. He smirked and charged up behind her, embracing her shoulders from her back. His eyes took on a sudden look of pain as he grabbed his head and moved away. She glanced over her shoulder at him. He panted as the headache darted away as quickly as it had made its self known.  
Staccato kept walking. Vash looked at her retreating figure in confusion. He kept his distance as he followed her back to the camp.  
"There you are! We just made dinner! Help yourself," Milly said, greeting the two. Staccato shook her head and sat against the sand worm.  
"Eat something, Elizabeth," Knives said in a cleverly hidden command. Staccato glared at him, but got some anyways. She put a spoonful of a mashed potato like substance on a plate and poked at it for a while. The others ate generously while she merely nibbled on it here and there.  
  
"Whoa! That was good! Didn't know you could cook so well, Ms. Stryfe!" Vash smiled and patted his stomach.  
"It was only ultimate 'taters..." Meryl shrugged.  
"Delish, ma'am!" Milly said, kissing her fingers. Knives nodded and looked over at Staccato.  
'What's the matter with you?' he asked.  
'I don't eat for a reason...' she replied, her thoughts heavy with sickness.  
"Are you okay, Elizabeth?" Vash asked. She stood up and shook her head, holding her stomach. She woozily walked behind the sand worm and fell to her knees. Vash followed her and found her panting and wheezing.  
"Liz?" he asked, wanting to pat her back, but didn't want to scare her and cause her to... do what ever she did earlier...  
"Elizabeth?" No sooner had Knives appeared than Staccato felt her stomach jump. Her 'ultimate taters' flew out of her mouth and landed all over the sand.  
"Liz, are you okay?" Milly asked, rushing around and spotting the child getting sick. 'Elizabeth' raised her head and panted. Her arms shook as if they were to give out and send her falling to the ground. Vash and Knives helped her stand while Milly handed her a napkin and helped her clean her shirt off.  
'What happened?' Knives asked.  
'I... can't eat solid food... you know that!' She replied, shakily.  
'Why not?' he demanded.  
'I don't know... that's just the way it's always been... that's why Legato always came back from the store with dieting drinks and liquids... they're the only thing I can hold down...' she explained as they helped her back into the camp to lay down. Meryl had a wet rag waiting for her, but she just sat up and shook a little bit.  
'You're just an anorexic fool!' Knives shouted at her. Staccato glared. She sighed and laid back. She jumped when she felt some one touching her from behind.  
"It's okay... it's okay..." Vash said calmly, sitting behind her. She relaxed into his hands and lay against his chest. He waited until she was asleep to lay her in his lap. The others were asleep by now, too. Only he was awake to watch over them.  
"I don't know what, but there is something strange about you, Elizabeth..." he sighed and stroked her hair. He looked out into the desert, glancing over the Sand worm.  
"Defiantly strange indeed..."

End, Chapter 5

Yay... whew... my keyboard hurts... Love-shove-heart-hate? Now, we see that Staccato has some emotion... in the least bit... also we know that she can't eat much... and last but not least, we see that she can control dead things... yay... Vote! BTW, I'm seeing signs of a block making its self known... anyone have any ideas? Just in case there is some confusion, Elizabeth=Staccato.


	6. Rebellion

I'm so happy! I got X-2 at Wal-Mart today! With my own money- dun dun dun! Plus some cucumber seeds to grow in my garden for my fishie babies... yeah... they like their Veggies...

So, how are all my readers? I have only one, apparently! And I know cause she reviews! And she is a good reveiwer! If there is anyone else reading, you need to thank her! You're reading this at her reviewing cost! All that time it takes her to click a button and type and type and think and type and click another button! You should feel grateful!

**Child's Play**  
__

_Call me not a puppet... I am not of your control. You have no power over me, for human both are we. My strings are pulled by the same as you, we share equality. Lay not a command upon me, for it shall remain unheard. I will not obey I'll turn away and nullify thy orders. Don't pull my strings, you won't succeed in keeping me under control. I'll break away and your rule fray and you'll know that I am free. (again, written by me)_

"Rise and shine, sleepy heads!" Vash's happy voice shouted out in a singsong. Knives glared at him as he raised his head.  
"It's too early in the damn morning for your good mood!" Knives sighed and lay back down. He rubbed his eyes and yawned.  
"Uppity up up up!" Vash said, running around the camp, shaking the girls. Meryl growled at him and rolled over again. Milly greeted him with a smile and a feminine yawn as she sat up and eventually got Meryl up.  
"Lizzie! You up and feeling better?" he asked, shaking her shoulder. Staccato put her hand over her eyes as she sat up and looked around through her bangs. She nodded slightly and stood up.  
"Man! Something stinks!" Meryl complained, holding her nose. The literally senseless Staccato turned towards the sand worm. She rose and walked over to it. Her fist laid gently on its hide fell through.  
"It began decomposing over night..." Staccato explained. She pulled her hand back and looked at the juicy ooze and the string like liquids leading from her palm and fingers to the inside of the sand worm.  
"Eww!" Milly yelped, putting her hand over her mouth. Staccato blinked and shook it off.  
"That means our bags are..." Meryl started, then jumped up and ran to the sand worm's mouth, which they had used to store their luggage. Meryl peeled off a tooth and gagged. The bags were covered in decomposing membrane and flies.  
"Not going to come with us?" Vash asked as if to finish her sentence. She nodded once and held her nose as she ran back to the fresh air.  
"Now what?" Knives asked.  
"We continue on foot?" Vash suggested.  
"Or she could rope us another worm..." he tossed his head in Staccato's direction.  
'That's right... you just keep thinking I'd do your bidding like a trained puppy,' she thought to her self as she watched him, then turned and looked at her arm.  
"Nah... we're all health, young individuals! We can take it!" Milly said, beating her chest. Vash jumped up beside her.  
"Yeah!" he agreed and did the same, but coughed and held his ribs. "Ow..." he squeaked.  
"Idiot," Knives and Meryl monotoned at the same time.  
"Let's have a little breakfast then be on our way!" Milly said, pulling some meal bars out of her pockets.  
"You want to try to eat something?" Vash asked, looking at Staccato. She shook her head.  
  
"I'm getting tired! When can we stop and rest? Are we there yet?"  
"Shut up, Vash!" Meryl and Knives shouted over their shoulders at the complaining outlaw.  
"Can you try a little patience? I mean, we've only been walking for a few minutes, Mr.Vash," Milly asked. "We can still see the sand worm from here,"  
"But I'm tired! I stayed up all night to watch you guys' sleep. Now I want my turn!" He stomped his feet like a child.  
'Make him shut up!' Knives shouted to Staccato.  
"Besides, that little meal bar was too small to fill me up, and it doesn't give me enough energy!" Vash kept moaning.  
'What ever you did didn't work!' Knives growled.  
"Come on, let's take a five minute break! Please! Just five minutes!" Vash continued.  
'Are you even paying attention to me?'  
"Growl grunt groan complain complain rant!" Vash shouted with each footstep.  
"Staccato!" Knives shouted. The group stopped and looked at him. Staccato, however, kept walking.  
"Excuse me?" Vash asked, shocked.  
"I-I-it means 'shut up' in a dead language," Knives lied and walked forward to catch up with Staccato. He tapped her shoulder. Staccato turned, only to have her head thrust away by a powerful punch by her boss.  
"Knives! No! Bad!" Vash shouted angrily, rushing over and pulling his brother away from the smaller child.  
'Couldn't you hear me talking to you?' Knives asked.  
'Um... yeah... kind of didn't care, though...' Staccato looked at him and walked off. Milly ran up to Staccato and held her by the shoulders.  
"Oh, my goodness! Are you all right? Let me see..." Milly tried to move the child's bangs, but she wouldn't hold still.  
"Just let me take a look at you!" Milly grumbled.  
"I don't know what's gotten into you or what gave you the idea that you had the right to hit that innocent child, but it had better leave and you had better quit right now before you get yourself into a mass of trouble!" Meryl said, wagging her finger in front of Knives' face.  
"See? Unlike Mr.Meanie-bottom over there, I'm not going to hurt you..." Milly said, holding Staccato's hair back while she looked at the red mark that was beginning to bruise. Staccato found it uncomfortable to have to stare out of the corner of her eyes at the sand to keep this human from being thrown into a coma.  
"Um, we'll be right back, girls!" Vash said, dragging his fighting brother off into the distance a ways.  
  
"What is wrong with you?" Vash asked, grabbing Knives' gun away and slapping it near his own.  
"Give me that!" Knives leapt towards Vash. He wasn't there! When Knives turned around, Vash was standing only a hair's breadth away.  
"Now, with the way you're acting, you actually expect me to let you handle a powerful weapon such as those? Please, brother, use some common sense!" Vash flicked Knives' nose, sending him stumbling back wards.  
"She's just an inferior human!"  
"That gives you no right to hit her for doing nothing!"  
"She was ignoring me!"  
"Ignoring you? Personally, I don't remember you trying to get her attention..." Vash blinked and tapped his head with his finger.  
Knives groaned. He was always telling Staccato to keep her abilities a secret, but now he was the one letting his brother in on it. Maybe it would be better if he just shut up right now? Nah!  
"Humans are pathetic creatures that amount to nothing worthwhile! They only take up water and space and kill off our sisters, Vash!" Knives shouted, getting off topic.  
"Sure, but there is something you should remember... the rooster may look fanciest, but it's the chicken that lays the egg... with out humans, you would be nothing..." Staccato said, walking up to the boys.  
"You shut up!" Knives shouted at her.  
"Mr.Vash, the others wish to see you," Staccato said, turning to him. Vash started to walk off with her, but Knives called her back.  
"Go ahead, I'm sure I'll be okay..." she nodded to Vash, who sighed and walked off.  
'Yes, Geppetto?' She asked, turning towards him.  
"You ungrateful waste of flesh!" Knives growled, walking towards her with his hand raised past his head.  
'Watch out, sir... your emotion is showing...' she said, quoting him from earlier.  
"Watch yourself, Staccato, you're teetering on the edge of a painful death or a shorter than normal life!" He warned.  
'You can't scare me anymore...' Staccato glared.  
"Want to test that theory?" he asked.  
'Believe me... there is nothing you can do, now...' she assured him and began to walk off.  
"Oh, I beg to differ!" he shouted and closed his fist. She dropped to the ground, holding her head in her hands, her eyes wide with pain. Her voice was ripped from her throat in the sound of a scream. Knives walked up to her, tossing a replica of the weapon she thought she destroyed.  
"I can't, can I?" he asked, chuckling evilly. He lifted her head by her hair and glared directly at her.  
"Try all you want. But you are a human, and I am better than you. No matter what you think you can do against me, you can't. I see that Legato didn't drill that into your head while he was drilling that little explosive into place... I guess if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," he said, dropping her to the ground and turning the dial to a higher level. He pressed the button and relished in her screams of agony and pain.  
"Knives! What are you doing?" Vash yelled, running back to the scene. He saw Staccato down on the ground twisting and turning in pure hurt.  
"Teaching her a lesson she'll never forget..." Knives explained. Slowly, Staccato's screams dwindled down into a mere whimper and choke.  
"Oh? What's this? The chemical chamber of the explosive has lost all its juice? Well, darn... looks as though I'll have to resort to the explosive its self." Knives grinned and turned the activator upside down to access the dial. He blinked. Why was his throat aching all of a sudden?  
With a sharp gasp, he was instantly dangling several feet off the ground, held by nothing of solidity.  
"What the hell?" Vash asked, confused.  
'How many more of those bloody things do you have?' Staccato asked, glaring at him with one eye showing clearly through her hair.  
"As if I'd tell-"  
'How many more do you have?' she demanded. She panted through her nose. The sky turned a dark, dark color. Sand storms started to form around them as the wind picked up, blowing Vash over onto the ground.  
"Just this and... a few others... hidden... I don't even know where they are..." Knives said. The weather was wild around them, but the two were untouched by the brutal bullet like sand grains propelled by high winds. Vash held his arms up to shield his face.  
'I doubt that lie...' Staccato glared her eye down to a small slit. Knives' head jerked back and he fell to the ground, only able to stare up at the black sky in horror as Staccato rushed through his mind, searching every corridor and crack and crevice to find any information on the weapons.  
'Clever, plant...' she growled, letting him regain control of his body. 'You hid the locations well.' She glared and started to walk off. The winds calmed and the sand settled back. The sky brightened to as it was before.  
Staccato stopped when she was greeted with her nose in the barrel of a silver .45 Colt Long.  
"I don't know who you really are, or how you know my brother or what you just did, but I want to know. Now." Vash said, angry with both of them. Staccato moved away and walked around him.  
Yet again, she stared down the top of the gun to the wielder.  
"Now," Vash repeated. She sighed and clenched her fist.

End, Chapter 6.........

Wow... whatcha think? You should know by now what I'm going to ask. Right? Well, now we see a little bit of stress can go a long way... but Knives does seem a little OOC... Oh well! Great authors can cover that up lickety-split! Watchis this in the next chappie and I'll show you how! Hint: Legato may be out, but he isn't down! Whew! That was inspired by going ghost hunting with my aunt and hearing stories from her co-hunters. WFYL! (Write for ya later!)


	7. Sometimes They Return

I got another reviewer now! Kumi the Kitsune! Whoo-hoo! I feel the love, baby! Anyhow...

So, how are my two readers? Good, I hope. It's storming here, so I have nothing else to do but sit here and type... Just so ya'll know, I'm about to leave my grandma's house soonsish... like... saturday morning, I think... I'll keep writing, but I won't be able to post anything until I get to a computer, which could be at Kim's house, or at some body else's house, or maybe at mine if I have internet when I get home.... pray/hope for me!

**Child's Play**

_Call me not a puppet... I am not of your control. You have no power over me, for human both are we. My strings are pulled by the same as you, we share equality. Lay not a command upon me, for it shall remain unheard. I will not obey I'll turn away and nullify thy orders. Don't pull my strings, you won't succeed in keeping me under control. I'll break away and your rule fray and you'll know that I am free.(written by: TheCat that's me!)_  
  
'Don't you tell him anything, Staccato! Don't you dare tell him a thing!' Knives demanded through his thoughts.  
'I'll tell him what I feel fit to tell him,' Staccato replied and turned her head. It was just the three of them- Vash, Knives, and Staccato. They were sitting in a small circle together.  
"Let the cat out of the bag, now, people. What's going on?" Vash asked after a long moment of silence.  
"Nothing, Vash. You're just imagining things!" Knives insisted.  
"I doubt it," Vash shook his head.  
'Shut up, Battery Pack, he knows we're up to something,' Staccato rolled her eyes. Knives growled and lunged at her, but was stopped by Vash holding his fist up and letting him run into it. Knives fell back, holding his nose.  
"Elizabeth, you want to tell me something?" Vash asked, turning to Staccato.  
'Yes...my name is not Elizabeth, for one...' she mind-spoke him.  
"What the-?" Vash asked, looking surprised. "Are you a ventriloquist?" he asked.  
"Yes! Yes she is!" Knives demanded.  
'I'm not going to be able to get a word in edge wise with him around.' Staccato sighed. She pointed at him and snapped. With a gasp, Knives fell on his side, snoring loudly.  
"What did you do to him?" Vash asked, jumping up and drawing his gun.  
'Settle down! I just put him to sleep.' She held her hand up.  
"How did you do that? Why do I hear a voice in my head?" Vash asked, the second question like an idiot.  
'I'm able to use my mind to communicate...' Staccato said. '...as well as perform other tasks...'  
"No kidding?" Vash asked.  
'None what so ever,' Staccato nodded.  
"Really?" Vash sat back down and leaned forward, interested.  
'Where to start?' Staccato sighed. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind to calm her shaking nerves.  
'You... you know my tutor... or you did know him...Legato Bluesummers...'  
"What?" Vash gasped slightly. "You mean I..."  
'Killed my teacher. Yeah. He taught me how to tap into the rest of my brain... the percentage of it most humans don't know about. He never actually got the chance to teach me every thing he wanted. Master Knives called him to do his bidding before he could do almost anything. Indeed, I was used to him leaving every now and then, but he'd always return. Then, one mission, he didn't,'  
"And it's my fault he didn't," Vash sighed. "I'm sorry,"  
"Don't apologize to her, Vash," a smooth voice said. The two of them looked over to Knives.  
"You're awake already?" Vash asked. 'Knives' chuckled.  
"He's been asleep for almost the whole day. He never woke up this morning." He said, though not in his own voice. Knives turned to Staccato. He smiled a smile very unlike him.  
'Wha-?' Staccato asked, blinking. She knew that smile... she hadn't seen it in almost a year.  
"Staccato... it's been so long..." the body said as it held out its arms and walked forward.  
Staccato grunted and lept back. She swung her arm in front of her. Knives' body kept walking, but stopped when blue sparks appeared.  
"I see you've mastered the force field... you learn quickly... to think I only taught you that three days before my destruction..." 'Knives' said.  
"Destruction...?" Vash asked. His eyes darted around in thought. "L- Legato?"  
"Yes... good guess, Vash the Stampede. And I would like you to actually meet my dear student... Staccato... Bluesummers..." The body said.  
Staccato's eyes widened. 'But... you're... you're dead!'  
"Yes, Staccato... I am dead... but thanks to my mortal powers, I have the ability to possess others with a high energy level," Legato explained.  
'I don't believe you, Knives!' Staccato glared and held her hand out, palm at him. He held his own hand up. She was knocked over by energy waves he threw at her, twice as powerful as the ones she threw at him.  
"Leave her alone!" Vash demanded, standing between them. Staccato panted, laying on her side and using her arm to prop herself up. She blinked as golden boots appeared in front of her face. She followed them up, past the black pants and white coat and the enlarged shoulders with a skull attached to a gentle face adorned with blue hair and yellow eyes. The gloved arms extended, but didn't touch her. Staccato felt herself floating towards him.  
'Master Legato?' she asked as he held her to his chest and laid his chin on her head.  
"Yes... It is me..." he affirmed. Staccato curled her arms around him and closed her eyes.  
'But how?' she asked, stepping away.  
"A mere illusion... much like this one..." he said, kneeling down and pressing a finger to her fore head. Her jeans and t-shirt disappeared and revealed her true clothing... a suit much like Legato's. Staccato could hold it back no more, mattering not how much she tried. She jolted forward into his grasp and hugged him with all her physical might... which was not much since she never bothered to build that up.  
'You're not going to tell him are you?' She asked.  
'It's not my business to tell him... my business here is to tell you to keep up the good work...' He stood and patted her head. 'But not in the way you think...'  
Legato walked over to Vash.  
"Vash,"  
"Legato..." they greeted each other. "Listen... I'm sorry...I-"  
'Don't worry about that... worry about her...' Legato nodded his head in Staccato's direction.  
'What do you mean?' Vash asked.  
'She doesn't know it... but she is my daughter...and her real name is Elizabeth...'  
"What?" Vash asked out loud in surprise.  
'Yeah... that's a long story in its self. But to make it short, her mother and uncle were killed by a gang. Nicholas found her and brought her into his orphanage. He asked me, if being the biological father, did I want her. I didn't know right then, so I said no, and he put her up for adoption. When she couldn't get her way as a baby, she would use her powers to seek out what she wanted. That's where Knives saw her potential and demanded that I take her to train her. When she was only eight, though, she proved herself to be very strong willed and determined to do her own thing... defiantly her mother's daughter. To keep her in line and to make sure she didn't try to do anything, Knives ordered a device to be planted in her brain. It will kill her if it is set off,'  
'If she's your daughter and you have been possessing Knives all day, then why did you try to kill her?' Vash asked.  
'I wasn't trying to kill her. I am dead and can't train her my old ways any more. She still has powers she hasn't uncovered yet. I introduced her to pain to force those powers out... she won't be able to control them for a while and may show signs of difficulty with them. Help her, would you? As you know, I can't do it myself anymore,'  
'Sure thing,' Vash agreed and nodded once.  
'Be careful with her. She is the deadliest thing on this planet, yet very fragile. She can't hear, see, smell, or taste, but she can focus on some one else and use their senses to do that for hers. Avoid naked eye contact with her. Oh, and that right arm of yours? She has it,' Legato said, then turned to Staccato.  
'I must be going now. Our time has been short but sweet. Staccato... fare well,' Legato said, his image fading out.  
"Master Legato!" Staccato shouted, running forward slightly. She fell to her knees and held herself up with her arms as Knives' body fell limp to the ground.  
Vash kneeled beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She gasped sharply a few times and jolted into him, hugging him for comfort and doing something nobody living had ever seen her do... not even when she had the implant, or when she had been shot as an infant.  
Tears rolled down Staccato's cheeks. She blinked at the warm trails down her face. She moved her head away and looked confused. Vash smiled slightly and wiped a tear from her eye.  
"Don't worry... they're harmless... not to mention normal," he assured her, then held her head to his shoulder and stood up. He carried her back to Milly and Meryl and sat her down.  
"I'll be right back, guys... gonna go get my worse half," Vash said, walking away to go retrieve Knives.  
  
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.  
"Enough, enough! I'm up, I'm up!" Knives said, waving his hand and trying to get who ever was thumping his head to stop.  
"Took you long enough," Vash said.  
"Where is everyone?" Knives asked. He received silence as his brother walked off.  
"So, you're not waiting for me?" Knives asked, running up to Vash.  
"Just be quiet. I'm not in a good mood with you at the moment," Vash said, turning and facing him. Vash turned back and kept walking.  
"What the hell did I do to get on your bad side?" Knives asked, angry himself, now. The two walked on in silence for the rest of the hike. When they got back to camp, Knives went directly for the cross-legged Staccato who kept her eyes down. 'Why in the world are you wearing tha-"  
Vash's gun met with Knives first.  
"Don't go near her. You two stay apart from each other, you hear me?" Vash ordered. Knives scoffed.  
"Who said I was going to do anything to her? Just wanted to sit over there," Knives said, walking around Vash. Suddenly, Knives was looking into Vash' stern green eyes with the help of a tilt of the chin from the Colt Long.  
"I said 'no'," Vash demanded. He sat beside Staccato and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You will not hurt her anymore,"  
Staccato kept looking down at her hands.  
_Master Legato... _

End, Chapter 7....

I almost cried when I wrote this... did you cry? Did you love? Did you hate? Did you come up with another Idea? I wanna hear about it! Be like DeeDee and push da button!


	8. Mark thee my words

I know that with me, the review button doesn't work when I want to R&R on some one's story. If that's the same with ya'll, you can just email me, cause that's where it ends up, anyways. The question of Staccato's mom arose quite often in my RISING NUMBER OF REVIEWS!!! WHOOO! New peeps! Yay! I see the word is spreading around! The truth is...I don't really know who her mom is... I just know that who ever she was had red hair and that's where Staccato got hers from... though it is more black than red... I've got a whole mess of reviewers now! I feel so loved! You guys make my self-esteem soar through the roof! I shed a tear in thy direction! But, truly... is it as good as ya'll make it sound?

**Child's Play**

_Call me not a puppet... I am not of your control. You have no power over me, for human both are we. My strings are pulled by the same as you, we share equality. Lay not a command upon me, for it shall remain unheard. I will not obey I'll turn away and nullify thy orders. Don't pull my strings, you won't succeed in keeping me under control. I'll break away and your rule fray and you'll know that I am free.(written by: TheCat that's me!)_  
  
"Legato's dead, how could he have taken over my body?" Knives asked as they trudged through the desert.  
"Well, you and I both have higher energy levels than most humans, and he did say that he required high energy to possess a body, so that may be it," Vash explained.  
"But why would he have done that?"  
"To talk to some one..." Vash turned his head and looked over his shoulder. Knives followed his gaze and saw Staccato walking slowly. She had her arms folded and she was looking down at her feet.  
"What did he say to her?" Knives asked, scooting in closer to Vash to keep Staccato from reading their lips.  
"I don't know everything he told her. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. It's an invasion of her privacy," Vash shrugged.  
"She's a damn human, Vash!" Knives said harshly.  
"I heard a naughty word!" Milly said, perking up and turning around. She put her hands on her hips and glared at the boys. Meryl sighed. Another delay in their journey.  
Knives sighed. "Sorry," he said, wanting to just get where they were going and get back so he could follow through with his plan.  
"That's better. We don't want rough language around small children, now do we?" Milly asked, watching as Staccato caught up with them, but didn't notice that they were so close. Staccato merely raised her head a bit and looked around when she bumped into Vash's arm.  
"Are you okay, Elizabeth?" Meryl asked, concerned. The girl made a slight noise and continued walking.  
"She's worrying me... it's not good for a child to be that sad all the time. I wonder, is she missing her Thomas that was with her before that sand worm attacked?" Milly asked, still not the brightest crayon in the box.  
"Well, she's defiantly missing somebody... but I doubt it would be a Thomas..." Vash nodded and blinked.  
  
Staccato sighed to herself. In the back of her mind, she was linked with Meryl, the one with the least thoughts weighing down on her. Staccato did this only so she would have some indication as to where she was going. The rest of her mind was focused on simply one person... her beloved teacher...  
_ Master Legato... why did you leave me again? You left once and I thought it was for good... but you came back! You came back to me! But only to torture me and fade away again...Why?_  
Staccato put a hand to her head, her free hand resting in the elbow of the other. Her head ached.  
_All this thinking of you has clouded my mind, Master. And it isn't a good cloud, either. I can't think of anything but you! It's making my head hurt...  
_She stopped for a moment and rubbed her temples, closing her eyes to relieve the tension. When that didn't work, she sighed and kept walking.  
"Is everything okay?" Vash asked, walking up and setting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded slightly, only making her head worse.  
"Are you sure? You don't look okay to me..."  
"I...I am..." she assured him. Her stray hand found its self at her neck.  
I'm not used to talking... now my throat is starting to hurt...  
"We can always stop and let you rest if you need it," Vash offered, but all he received in an answer form was a light sigh. He blinked and walked beside her.  
Several hours passed. They neither stopped to eat lunch or to rest. The two plants and two humans just kept following the psychic who seemed to be in her own world.  
"Surely she's getting a little tired?" Meryl panted, her mouth dry.  
"The way she's not paying attention to anything, I don't think she'll even realize when she does feel tired," Milly gasped, hunched over from fatigue.  
"Then just let her go. We can stay here for a while," Knives said, stopping and standing still.  
The two girls agreed right away and fell to the ground, supported by being back-to-back with each other and leaning against the other. Vash kept walking.  
"Where are you going?" he asked.  
"To get Elizabeth," Vash replied. Knives shrugged.  
  
"Geeze, for some one who saw great potential in a child, he sure doesn't care much for her... personally, I think he'd be happier seeing her dead... she probably would be happier that way, too..." Vash said to himself, watching the still walking white bodied, blood haired figure before him.  
"Liz!" he called, running forward and trying to catch her. "Liz," he said, touching her shoulder. She jumped slightly and prepared to shoot energy waves at him, but stopped and sighed.  
'I thought you were Knives at first...' she said, picking his hand off her arm.  
"Yeah, uh... we sort of do look a like, huh?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood. He suddenly felt chilly. He glanced down at Staccato and found her looking directly at him. Vash avoided her crimson orbs, but smiled anyways. He blinked as she looked away. Was that a chuckle he heard?  
"Why don't you come on back? We're taking a break..." Vash explained. Staccato looked out into the distance and squinted.  
"What is it?" he asked.  
'A mass amount of thoughts are coming from that direction. Either a tour bus or a town. I can't tell,' she reported.  
Vash looked out in the direction.  
"Wow, you're good!" he said, seeing just the slightest glint of sunlight off a metallic sign.  
  
"Guess what, guys? Lizzie found a town! We can sleep in beds tonight!" Vash exclaimed, walking into sight with Staccato behind him.  
'Is it necessary to call me that stupid fake name?' Staccato asked. Vash blinked.  
"Um, no..." he replied. When she turned away, he figured it safe. She doesn't want to be called by her real name? Well, probably because she grew up answering to 'Staccato' and thinks that's her name...  
"So, how far is this town?" Meryl asked.  
"An ile, at the most..." Vash said, shrugging.  
"Come on, ma'am... we can make it..." Milly said, helping Meryl up.  
  
"Water! Lots of it!" Vash said, thumping on the bar in a saloon.  
"Woo!" Milly fanned herself with a napkin.  
"That was way more than an ile!" Meryl said in a fast, growling voice to Vash.  
"Sorry! Depth perception ain't what it used to be!" he said, holding his hands up.  
Staccato's scowl turned up in the slightest bit, but she looked down to her hands.  
'What did Legato have to say to you?' Knives asked, looking over to Staccato.  
'Nothing that concerned you...' she lied. Some of it did... some of it...  
'No, really. What did he say?'  
'He didn't say anything,' Staccato looked up slightly, being literal to get out of speaking to the plant she despised the most.  
'Did he say anything about his killer?' Knives asked after a long silence break.  
'Who, Vash? I don't remember...' Staccato said, turning to look out the window. She raised her head in thought, and then slowly turned it to face Knives.  
'Come to think of it... you're really Legato's killer,' she glared. Her thoughts were laced with icy cold streaks.  
'What are you talking about? I wish I could see into your mind... I might be able to rearrange stuff in it to some how bring out the common sense that I have doubts, but know exists,' Knives sighed and put his head in his hand as he rested his elbow on the table and looked to the side.  
'No, you know right well what I'm talking about! You know you killed him! If you hadn't sent him off on your crazy plans, he would still be alive!' she glared, feeling the ice melt and steam as her thoughts flared.  
'Don't be getting any ideas, now... I still have something that you loathe...' Knives glared, reaching in and moving his pocket leather aside to let the metal gleam.  
'Too late to tell me that, Master Knives... too late to tell me that...'  
'What do you mean?' He asked, his blue eyes almost locking with her red, but he stopped himself, blinking and looking down.  
'I am already plotting against your very existence...' she warned as she was handed her water. She sipped it quietly, glaring daggers at Knives over the lip of her cup.  
  
"Yay! A good soft bed! Mmm!" Milly smiled, running and jumping onto the hotel bed. She hugged the pillow and breathed in the feathery goodness.  
"And we're out of the open range coldness!" Meryl threw her hands in the air before falling back wards onto the second of the three beds. Staccato sat on 'hers'.  
"And we get to shower!" Milly jumped up and ran to the bathroom, throwing her clothes off before she even got half way to the door.  
"Hurry up!" Meryl called. "And don't use all the hot water!"  
'I want to talk to you after the lights go out,' Knives said. Staccato sighed.  
'Don't you ever knock?' she asked.  
'What do you mean?'  
'I was in the middle of a good thought and you interrupted. A simple "Staccato, may I interrupt for half a second" would suffice, Master,' she looked up at the ceiling.  
"Liz, you okay?" Meryl asked.  
"Yes, ma'am..." she nodded and laid down, face in the pillows_.  
  
Master Legato...you led the perfect life...smiling to the very end... at least that's what the tale is. To think... the only Gung-Ho to make the Humanoid Typhoon shoot his gun, and you did it at the cost of your own life... for whom? A worthless vile creature that should be in a light bulb right about now... That smile of yours... that simply demonic grin you used every here and there... I bet that's what was plastered all over your face when you ... I won't say it...  
Made me proud when the report said you went down with nothing less than a good giant fight. Always had to play with your victims like a cat with a mouse...that was defiantly you...and it always worked...you never failed at anything... an inspiration in the greatest, dear teacher... maybe that's how I should go, too...  
  
_Staccato stepped into the shower. She pulled the curtain closed behind her. She looked down at her pale skin. Once, Monev had suggested a day in the desert in nothing but a bathing suit so that she could get some color to her, but not only was it rejected by her, Legato also demanded that it would be a very immodest experience and he would not allow her to go through it.  
The scorching water scattered like rain down her body, washing away the dirt and grime that came with traveling through sand storm after sand storm. She glanced down at her arms. One was more muscular and colored than the other. Legato's arm, once used to be Vash's.  
'Wow...' she spoke to herself. 'I know some weird people,' she smirked slightly and bathed. When she was done, she dressed in her clothes again and lay down in the bed she claimed as hers. She laid her towel over her eyes and sighed.  
  
'The lights have been out, Staccato, for well over an hour. You have failed to contact me...' Knives sounded angry.  
'I knew that eventually you would contact me,' she explained. 'And look at that... you did... boy, am I good...'  
'You are too much like your teacher for your own good... except, Legato never defied me as you do. He was loyal. He did as I said, the first time. He never thought for himself. He was a good puppet...'  
Staccato sat up in the darkness and glared through the wall. Her eyes changed from golden to bright red. When she wasn't using her powers, her eyes remained a golden, much like that of her father's. Yet when she was provoked into tapping into her mental abilities, they changed into a diabolical wine-colored hue.  
'What do you want?' she asked.  
'Just to make sure you're still on my side. Wild animals like yourself tend to lose their training, and must be rebroken periodically.' Knives grinned to himself, the smirk detected by Staccato who glared deeper.  
'You keep treating me the way you do, and you will defiantly be a broken man,' She warned, lying back down.  
'Ooh, tough girl... of course, this small little friend of mine doesn't think you're as tough as you let on,' Knives fingered the metal trigger for Staccato's mind explosive.  
'You'd better watch the way you threaten me, doc...'  
'Why, is it going to do a trick?' he asked, amused with himself.  
'Yeah... it's going to get you locked in an asylum for the rest of your forsaken life. Nice trick, huh?' She came back to his statement. Knives clicked the button on the switch just a tap, but still he could hear Staccato gasp and squirm through the wall. Staccato took in deep slow breaths to ease her pain.  
'Nice trick, huh?' Knives scoffed. Staccato sighed.  
'You know, for some one who's using me to do his dirty work, you sure seem to like to torture me. You act as if all of this is just making me want to obey you more and more! I have news for you, bud. It doesn't! Besides, I have my own ideas, now!'  
'I should have known. You were never ready to take on an assignment... not even a half of a year in the light of the world and you already have an attitude. You weren't fully broken when I called on you. You've gone against me... halfway. You were told to make me look good a few days ago when you first met Vash, but even then I knew you had plans for my disposal. So, tell me, then... what are these ideas you have?'  
'Well, if you must know, I don't think Vash is worth killing. He has done nothing to anger me, and he seems nice enough. The real enemy here, I think, is you. Technically, you were the one who killed Legato... V.T.S is just a waste of time and energy.'  
'That's what you imagine, I guess...don't worry. I'll rid you of your useless mortal thoughts soon enough.' Knives said. 'But not tonight. Not with Vash this close. I don't want him interfering. Oh, and by the way- you stay away from him,' Knives closed the connection with that.  
'Well... now I really want to obey you now,' Staccato rolled her eyes. 'I think Mr. Stampede and I could use a little bonding,'_  
  
Master Legato... how did you deal with this arrogant pretentious man? I don't see how it was possible to cope with him. You did it so well all those years, never complaining in the least bit... if I would have a question about his ideas, you would always be there to explain them to me and explain how he was always right in everything... Life was simple then.  
Now, I don't see how you accomplished everything you did while under the iron fist of that tyrant. Since your death, I have been withdrawn and cautious about every decision I have made, wanting to rely on some one else to make it for me. But now... you're gone... and that reality has set in... and the reality that I am a human being... and I can't be locked up like some fancy tailed canary. I will not be an animal to do his work for him, and I will not be a slave to his every whim. I will, though, kill him... I swear it on the life of me and the death of thee, Master Legato... keep your eyes open for him... he might need your help in convincing the devil to give him mercy, because his last moments sure won't have any of that with in a five ile radius... mark thee my words... _

End, Chapter 8

Yay! Let's all do the chicken dance to Celebrate number Eight! Ritualistic question, chika's and roosta's! Love or Shove?

My reveiwer list now consists of:

Kumi the Kitsune, Sai the Tsunami(), Ashlucard(), DragonLady4, Sophie-chan!

Now, this better not be just one person with several screen names... I shall be very sad otherwise... yeah, if you just want to email the reviews to me (those of you who can't because the button is broke or something) put a TCTF in the "subject" part so I don't delete it thinking it's some one trying to send me a virus... aparently I'm on a couple of people's 'kill her now' list... maybe their jealous of my writing skills... --''''

Push da button or Push da Email!

P.S- Ideas would be nice...


	9. Gang Bangin'

This may possibly be the last chapter I have for ya'll... I don't know... I'm going to try to get another one up before I leave my internet source, but until then, ya'll'll be sorta new chapterless... Number 9, though, in only a week! Wow, I'm good! I got one new reviewer! Welcome to the group, buddy! Ain't this the most spiffin' fic you dun ever read? Yes, I'm Texan, proud to be! Red neck all the way, baby! But I don't talk like that all the time... don't worry... it's temporarily come and go!

**Child's Play**

_Call me not a puppet... I am not of your control. You have no power over me, for human both are we. My strings are pulled by the same as you, we share equality. Lay not a command upon me, for it shall remain unheard. I will not obey I'll turn away and nullify thy orders. Don't pull my strings, you won't succeed in keeping me under control. I'll break away and your rule fray and you'll know that I am free.(written by: TheCat that's me!_

"Elizabeth, let's go!" Milly called, shaking Staccato gently. The phsycic covered her eyes with her hand before sitting up and opening her orbs. She looked around. Morning already.  
"We let you sleep in past breakfast because we knew you wouldn't eat anyways, but now we gotta get on the road," Meryl said, leaning on the door frame.  
"Right..." Staccato sighed, standing and following them outside. "Where are Mr. Vash and Mr. Knives?"  
"Outside town waiting for us," Meryl said, glaring at a gang of teenage boys who laughed in a sinister way at them.  
"They're scaring me!" Milly whispered.  
"Just ignore them, and keep walking," Meryl replied and cleared her throat. A slight clink of metal on metal was heard. Staccato glanced over and saw a little sunlight reflecting off the blade of a knife. She turned to face forward and continued walking, on her guard as to what these boys were planning.  
"They're following us!" Meryl finally started to sound frightened as she looked behind her and saw the gang ensuing them, even out of the town.  
_Where are the boys? _Milly wondered.  
"Hey, sweet cheeks!" One of the boys laughed, coming up behind Meryl and grabbing her butt.  
"Excuse you!" Meryl shouted, turning around and slapping at him. She missed only because he laughed and stepped back, putting his arm up.  
"You're cute, wanna go out?" Another asked, leaning on Milly's shoulder. The taller woman whimpered and closed her eyes.  
Several of the boys whistled and called as they formed a circle around Staccato. One of them walked up and grabbed her around the shoulders, putting his hand on her chest.  
"Come with me, sexy, and we'll speak of love," he said slowly. Another of the boys on the side lines growled while the others burst out into laughter.  
"Why don't we speak of other things?" Staccato asked.  
"Like what, sweetie?" He asked.  
"Like personal space... get your worthless bag of flesh out of it," she ordered, looking up at him to where slits of her eyes could be seen through her hair.  
"Yo, guys! She wants me to leave her alone! Should I?" he asked. The others all shook their heads. "Okay then. Sorry, girlie. You're stuck with me!" he smirked.  
'Wrong answer,' she glared at him. He gasped as an icy feeling zipped through his thoughts. He motioned to the others to run. They did and he tried to follow, but started screaming as he was lifted off the ground by an unseen source. He was turned around to face Staccato. She held her hand up to him.  
'When some one says leave them alone, they usually mean to leave them alone!' she ordered, then threw her hand towards the ground, causing him to be slammed forcefully against the sand. He groaned as she stepped on him as she passed, going after the other boys. Meryl's and Milly's tormenters turned and started to run, but were also stopped. One yelled as he felt as if his head would implode. He screamed and held his head and kicked his feet wildly.  
'I'm sick and tired of all you men thinking you can order us women around like the dogs you think we are!' she glared, causing the other one to scream as he suddenly burst into flame. After a while, they both dropped to the ground, dead.  
Staccato glanced to the side and set her eyes on the rest of the group who had returned to help, but were too afraid to approach the red headed girl.  
'Who's next? Huh? Come on... take a step forward... feeling lucky? Perhaps I'll go easy and only kill a few of you... perhaps not...'  
"Elizabeth! Stop this!" Milly shouted, gaining courage to speak. Staccato paid no heed to her and paced in before the boys. Suddenly, she turned and pointed at one of them. He yelled and fell dead. The others gasped and tried to run. Staccato stopped them in their tracks and glared. They all grabbed their heads and fell to the ground, some rolling, some rocking, others stumbling about trying to escape the pain.  
'Slowly... quick... slowly... quick... slowly... quick... slowly... quick...' Staccato thought, pointing at random boys. The ones who were pointed at during the 'quick' suddenly stopped moving and screamed no more, dead.  
"Elizabeth!" Milly and Meryl shouted. The bravest of the boys stood outside to the left. He held up his gun pointed at the girl killing off his team mates.  
"Die!" the boy shouted, pulling the trigger.  
Staccato looked over when she heard the thunder like sound. She gasped as a mass of sparks appeared in her face. The screaming stopped as she turned her attention away from the gang members and down to the ground where there rested two bullets... one colliding with the other to the side, causing them to cancel each other out.  
She stared in disbelief at them, then suddenly fell beside them, holding her head and crying out in pain.  
"Vash! Knives!" Milly shouted, gratefull that some one had stopped Staccato.  
"Run! Now! Go while you have the chance! And don't ever do anything like that again!" Meryl yelled at the boys. They all nodded and ran off screaming, a few calling for their mothers.  
Vash rushed to Staccato, who was recovering from the shock of her implanted explosive. Knives sighed.  
'Believe it or not, that one was not something I had wanted to do,'  
Staccato gasped a few times and swallowed air. She started gasping again until she felt Vash's hand on her side. She coughed and stood up with his help. She threw her arms around him and felt him embrace her also. She cried into his jacket.  
Vash looked around at all the dead bodies. A pained look rushed across his face. He glanced down at a head of blood red.  
"Did... did you do all this? Staccato?" he asked. She nodded and hugged him tighter. He glared slightly and sighed, turning his vision to the side. He knelt down and cradled her head with his hand into his shoulder.  
'I'm sorry... I... I couldn't help it... I lost control...'  
'No kidding,' Vash agreed, seeing the burned body of the boy.  
'They wouldn't leave us alone...I only meant to barely hurt one, but I slipped and couldn't control myself anymore... my powers got out of hand and corrupted me...'  
'I understand...' Vash said, hugging her closer and feeling tears fall from his eyes. 'Don't worry, I understand completely...'  
_I don't have the heart to tell her... lost control is exactly how her mentor died...  
  
_"This is all going to get blamed on you, again..." Meryl sighed, nudging Vash with her elbow. He had one hand on Staccato's shoulder, holding her close as they walked through the desert.  
"Oh, well... It's all right, though. I'm used to taking the blame for stuff I didn't do," he shrugged.  
'Staccato...' Knives called.  
'...What?' she responed, her thoughts heavy with guilt and depression.  
'That burned body... did you do that, too?' Knives asked. He received an affirmative answer, then shivered. If she could do that when slightly agrivated, what could she do if she actually lost her temper when dealing with him... or his brother?  
Catastrophic meltdown... Armageddon... end of the world?  
"You should have told us you had special powers!" Milly spoke to Staccato, but wasn't sure if the juvenile was listening or not.  
"Really. We would have believed you, we have seen worse," Meryl tried to give her input, but yet again, Staccato showed no signs of interest. They kept talking to her, trying to have a conversation with her, but all attempts ended as one way consultations.  
"Incase you haven't figured it out yet, I don't care..." Staccato said, shrugging off Vash's arm around her shoulders and walking past the group who stopped in surprise.  
'You can be mad, but you can not be rude!' Knives glared.  
'Yet again, I don't care,' Staccato sighed,  
'You'd better start caring,' Knives warned. 'Or are you mad that your little plan to grow closer to Vash has back fired because your beloved teacher was never around long enough to teach you a little bit of self con- friggin-trol?'  
Staccato stopped dead in her tracks. She turned and marched back to him. Standing on her toes, she pulled him down to be eye level. Her head was raised high enough to glare him in the eyes with out sending him into a salad state.  
"I am in no mood what so ever to deal with you right now, Master Knives. Not in any mood at all..." she practically hissed. She pushed his coat away and kept walking. Vash looked at her, then looked at his brother who returned the gaze.  
  
"Maybe she's hitting puberty?" Milly asked in a whisper as the group followed Staccato on her way to December.  
"She can't. Her last physical check up said that she'd never hit it and she'd never have kids because her body was so screwed up when she was shot as a child," Knives sighed.  
"How do you know that?" Meryl asked. Knives blinked, then sighed.  
"No clue," he looked to the sky and kept walking with his arms behind his head.  
"Well, she's a troubled child, coming from a very twisted and sick past." Vash said, also watching the sky.  
"Twisted and sick past, huh?" Knives asked, glaring at Vash. Vash blinked and smiled nervously.  
"Um... bad... word choice and... lack of adjectives?" Vash laughed apprehensively. Knives growled slightly and ignored him.  
"And what would you know about her past?" Meryl asked, stepping in front of the twins. They both stopped.  
"Long, long story... it would take time out of your hectic schedule and delay our trip even more. Let's just keep going and you can guess how we know," Knives said, pushing her aside.  
"No! I want to know, because if you did anything to hurt her, I'll personally let Vash teach you a lesson!" She said, wagging her finger in his face.  
"What?!" Vash shouted, though unheard.  
"What do you care?" Knives shouted at Meryl.  
"I care because she's a little girl and it's not right for men to know how little girls grew up! Especially when they're not related to her!" Meryl shouted back.  
'Are you guys coming or not?' Staccato looked back and asked. The shouting stopped and they all looked at her. They continue their traveling, the silence broken only by Knives' and Meryl's arguing.  
"Would you two please cut it out? You're giving me a headache!" Vash complained.  
"He started it!" Meryl grumbled.  
"But being a woman, you have the genetic, gender based ability to end the argument with the same conclusion every time- you're right," Vash said.  
"Are you saying that all women do that? Demand that their spouses are wrong?" Meryl asked. Vash shook his head furiously.  
"That's kinda what it sounded like to me!" Milly said. Vash jumped slightly and groaned.  
"I'll have you know! Not every woman is like that, and I am one of those women! Uh, who aren't! You have that idea that you're right about us girls, but you don't! You're wrong!" Meryl shouted.  
"Let's go, people!" Knives called.  
"Hey... where's Elizabeth?" Milly asked, looking into the distance.  
"Uh-oh..." Vash said, looking out and not seeing anyone or anything.  
'Staccato!' Knives thought. He received no answer.  
"Staccato!" Knives shouted, but still, there was only silence. He looked at Vash, who looked at him back. They took off running into the distance, calling her. Milly and Meryl went after them, also calling and looking around franticly.  
  
Staccato groaned and opened her eyes. She looked around... and gasped. She was in a dark room some where. When she tried to move her arms and legs, she couldn't. They were tied together!  
She started to hyperventilate. Where was she? Who brought her here? What was she doing here and what did they want from her?  
Backing up against a wall in fear, Staccato began calling out for anyone who could hear her. She began searching for brain waves, but found none... nothing living was in this building. That was the only explanation for it.  
'Master Knives! Vash! Meryl and Milly!' she began to cry, but she couldn't catch their thoughts... either they were ignoring her, they were out of her three ile maximum. Or... she didn't want to think about it, but it came to her mind anyways...  
In her mind, Staccato saw two bodies, one bigger than the other. They were lying face down on the ground... one with long brown hair, the other with short black hair. Two others lay to the side... they looked a lot alike... one wore a red coat... they were all dead...  
Staccato shook as she brought her knees up to her chest as best she could. She laid her face in her knees and closed her eyes... she hoped it was a choice of the matter between the earliest choices... and she prayed it wasn't the latter.  
_Master Legato... I need you now more that I've ever needed you before... even Master Knives would be a comfort at this point in time... I'm alone... I'm scared...  
_'Please... if anyone can hear me... just say so! Please!' She thought feebly, lying on her side in a corner some where remote where she didn't know existed. Her thoughts weighed on her mind heavy with sadness, fear, and desperation.  
"Staccato...poor child..." a voice said. Staccato felt a cold breath upon her bare elbows. She thought as though she was hallucinating, so paid no attention to it. Only when her thoughts cleared her mind completely and her tears stopped suddenly did she begin to think she wasn't alone...

End, Chapter 9

So how was nine? Mighty Fine? Lol. I rhyme all the time! Can't stop even when I drop! Don't Ya love it, or should I shove it?

Anyhow... I have this wild Idea for chapter 10... ya'll might loose interest in this story if I actually write it, but then again... you've already been drug into my trap, the next chapter may close the door...

If I don't update for a while... forgive me... just in case I don't... Buh-bye!


	10. Gungho Returners

Okay, THE last chapter for a while, but definatly not for the story. There is so much more to cover! Something ya'll should learn about me... if I write a story less than five chapters long, I AM SICK, AND IT'S NOT A VERY GOOD STORY! But, here you go, FANTASTIC TEN! Don't ya'll know I love ya? Wrote this strait through Inuyasha, and it was a new episode! Boy, I'm generous!

**Child's Play**

_Call me not a puppet... I am not of your control. You have no power over me, for human both are we. My strings are pulled by the same as you, we share equality. Lay not a command upon me, for it shall remain unheard. I will not obey I'll turn away and nullify thy orders. Don't pull my strings, you won't succeed in keeping me under control. I'll break away and your rule fray and you'll know that I am free.(written by: TheCat that's me!)_

"Staccato... so good of you to join us..." a voice spoke in the darkness. Staccato blinked. Who was that speaking? There were brain waves over to the side, but they were from a mouse left in a cage, perhaps to provide the child with hearing and sight.  
'Who... who's there?' she asked, not as scared as she was, but now a little on her toes. She heard a soft instrument playing. It sounded familiar... the song, she knew by heart. The instrument... it rang a bell...then, it dawned on her.  
'M-midvalley?' she asked. The music stopped playing.  
"Yeah?" another voice asked. The music continued. Staccato raised her head and looked around, but saw only darkness. The music stopped again.  
"Did you need anything?" the voice asked, and then kept playing the instrument.  
'Just... wondering who was playing that lovely sax,' Staccato shook her head.  
"Oh, sure. Recognize him but don't bother with the rest of us," another voice complained.  
"Shut it up. She's most likely confused and bewildered and afraid... you know, not thinking," a kid's voice ordered.  
"Silence, all of you," the slow, flowing voice as dear to Staccato's heart as blood sounded. The music in the background stopped. The only sound was the squeaking of the mouse in its cage.  
A light clicked on. Staccato turned her head from the brightness. She felt cold hands on her ankles and wrists. When she looked down, she gasped in surprise and felt her eyes widen. It was a cow-boy vest wearing samurai who slipped a sword under the ropes and pulled upwards, cutting them away. Staccato looked at his face and couldn't believe her eyes.  
'Rai-Dei,' she thought. He looked at her and patted her head.  
"Believe it or not, but yes..." he smiled. He sheathed his sword and sat down beside her.  
'You and Midvalley... does that mean...' she started, then looked to one of the walls of the room she was in. There was a couch and several arm chairs against a wall. In a blue velvet arm chair sat the one man Staccato wished to see more than anything in her entire existence...  
'Master Legato!' She stood up, her scowl gone and some what of a smile upon her features. She saw others sitting around him and ran up to each of them grabbing their hands, shaking, and greeting them.  
'Monev! It's been so long! Dominique, "Egg", Leonof, Zazie, Hoppered, Caine, and Reverend Evergreen!'  
They each greeted her back, some hugging, some shaking hands and nodding. Staccato ran up to Legato and hugged him. He smiled and put his hands on her shoulders in his own way of hugging. She was still only about waist high to him.  
'What are you all doing here? Aren't you dead?' she asked.  
"We are, but Legato had so much of his power left over that he could share and allow us all to take over the bodies of some of the healthiest humans," Dominique explained.  
"And you being the only human who can talk to us as if we were still alive and standing right beside you, it made it even easier," E.G. Mine said.  
'It's so good to see you guys...' Staccato sighed and looked down.  
"Don't worry. We're dead. You can't do much more to us. Your powers have no effect over us, so we're safe from your beautiful eyes," Midvalley winked. Staccato shook her head.  
'No, it's more than that...' she sighed. Legato pulled her up onto his lap as he sat back down in his chair.  
"Tell us, then, what is on your mind," he said.  
'It's just been so crazy since you all left. I was in denial there for a bit as early as when you went, Monev. When Master Legato left, that's when it all went crashing down. For several months, I was alone, because Vash had taken Master Knives with him. I had no idea where he was taking him, and I didn't know if Master Knives would have wanted me to follow or not, so I stayed behind, by my self...' she explained.  
Legato sighed and laid his chin on her head. The others fidgeted or looked down. They all knew her biggest fear... being alone. That's how she always was in the orphanage- cold, hungry, in the dark, wet, and by herself. It wasn't because Nicholas didn't care, it was just because he was so busy, and he often lost track of her when she would escape from her crib and go exploring in the deep unknowns of the child sanctuary.  
'Anyways, as I was talking about... after being scared for almost a quarter of a year, I get a buzzing on the mainframe. When I got the nerve to figure out how to access the communications, Master Knives tells me to go to him. From then on, I have been following him and Vash around. We have this plan, you see... only, I see an easier way to do it... if I so choose to actually do it... which I'm still too unable to make up my mind,' Staccato finished her story.  
"And what is the plan?" Monev asked.  
'Well, you all know that Vash is a softy and would never harm some one if he could avoid it...'  
"That is a hypothesis proven wrong," Legato smirked. Staccato glared at him over her shoulder.  
_'Don't remind me about that!'_ she said. He smiled and patted her shoulder.  
'So, before I was so rudely interrupted,' She poked her teacher with her elbow. 'The object is to become "friends" with Vash. When he least expects it, I am supposed to use my powers to crush his mind until he sees the fact that "Master Knives is right, and Vash is wrong, and that the human race is useless and should be put to eternal rest". Knives thinks he won't hurt a child, so I should be safe. I doubt he cares, though,'  
"Nice plan...only, you forgot one infinitesimal piece of vital information..." a young voice said from the corner. They all turned their heads to see Nicholas D. Wolfwood sitting with his elbow on one knee.  
"Well, if it's so vital, then share it with the girl!" Hoppered demanded.  
"Sure, Master Spinning Top," Wolfwood insulted. "Vash won't change his mind about humans. You could turn his mind to liquid, and he still wouldn't agree with Knives. Take it from me, I spent a lot of time with each of them: those two may be twins, but they sure don't share ideals. You'd end up killing Vash, if you had the heart to do so,"  
"And- not in any way meaning to burst your bubble, girlie, but he is always- always, one step ahead," Midvalley warned.  
"He'd find some way out of your plot. It might take him some time to realize how, but eventually he would figure out how to get away from your hold over him, then he'd do something... maybe not kill you, but if he had to, he'd do some damage just to keep you from hurting yourself and anyone around you," Dominique said.  
'So what you all are saying is that there is no way for me to win against him?' Staccato asked.  
"It would be fatal to try," Zazie sighed.  
"Look kid," Wolfwood looked over at her, up from his shoes where he was staring earlier. "Listen to some one who just went through it all... Don't take life too seriously. Nobody comes out alive in the end, anyhow..."  
'Wolfwood,' Legato warned. 'She's in enough trouble already with her mother's attitude. She doesn't need your inspiration to boost her into more danger with Knives' bad temper,'  
Wolfwood growled slightly to himself and turned back to his feet. He could have really used a pack of cigarettes about then.  
'Why did you all come back?' Staccato asked after a while of silence.  
"Well, Legato came back because he needed to tell you something, but we came back just because we wanted to see you again," Midvalley said, winking at her again.  
'And that would be?' Staccato turned to Legato and stared deep into his eyes. He stared back. The others knew when this happened, they were either having a long, personal discussion, or he was teaching her how to reach back into her mind and perform tasks.  
  
'Staccato, as a dead spirit back to speak to you, I have the ability to look into the future. The thing is, I can't tell you exactly what it is that will happen. All I can say is- say no, say yes, keep up the good work, and smile now and then. From there, you have to figure out the rest on your own.'  
'Is that all you came here to tell me, Master Legato?'  
'No. There is more, have patience. Your powers are becoming too strong for your own good. Every time Knives presses the detonator; the immense pain in your brain unlocks something new. If you keep getting him mad, he will eventually unlock enough powers to send you into mental melt down. Do as he says and watch your attitude.'  
'Anything else?' Staccato asked.  
'Don't use that tone of thought with your superior. I may be dead, but I can still do worse than Knives could ever hope to do. I know you think I'm defending the one you're growing to hate the most. I'm not. I'm defending you. I'm trying to keep you from ending up as a mindless body lying in a bed connected to every machine you can think of to keep you alive, yet it is only torture... 'You have a very wild side, Staccato. You can't help but want to fight and explore. It would hurt you so much to have to be limited to a bed or a wheel chair for the rest of your life. You may not think so, but I know a lot more about you than you ever will,'  
'...Master...' she sighed. She looked away from him. Legato put his fingers under her chin and pulled her head up to look into her eyes again. Right now, they were as golden and honey as his.  
'Staccato... my powers are thinning. I won't be able to talk to you much longer anymore. I know how much you enjoyed finding a dark, quiet, secluded spot and clearing your mind just to talk to me every now and then. It worked when I was still alive, yet we were so far apart. It even worked when I was dead. It won't work much longer, I abhor to say. I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do about it.' Legato laid his lips gently on her fore head. She closed her eyes and felt a tear run down her cheek. He wiped it away with his finger, then held her to his chest. Staccato hugged him as tight as she could while he cradled her head in his neck.  
'It's such a pity, as there are things unnumbered that I have yet to tell you,'  
'Like what, master?' she asked.  
'If I told you now, you'd forfeit life all together and you'd never do any of the incredible feats I have witnessed you do in your future. Go on living, Staccato,'  
'Don't leave me, please...' she grabbed his white shirt, pulling herself closer to him. He sighed and pushed her away, holding her by the shoulders.  
'I must, my dear. We all must... I just want you to know... you, like I, have the power to kill ever man, woman, and child in every city in this world of the mortals. Don't let the intoxicating power of death over take you. It's not as great as it seems,'  
Staccato looked at him, her eyes filling with tears. She felt some strange feeling rising in the pit of her stomach.  
'Emotion, Staccato...that's what it is... don't fret over it... just remember... I love you... my child...' Legato kissed Staccato on the cheek and hugged her warmly before stepping back.  
Staccato stared as Legato and the other Gung-Ho gunners faded away into nothing. After she stood there for a while and tried to think, she followed a path she knew, some how some way. Eventually, she walked out of a generated illusion of quick sand.  
"Staccato!" Vash exclaimed, seeing her walk up. Knives looked over and saw her.  
"Where have you been?" Knives asked, worried, for once.  
"Sorry.... I ... fell through the quicksand..." she lied. Two words echoed in her mind. The last two words ever spoken to her by her beloved teacher...  
_ My child... _

End, Chapter Ten

Yay! Double Didgit Chapters! Well, next time I update, I promise I'll have alot of stuff to throw to you guys. I love all my little reviewers!

Two things I need from ya'll:

1- Opinions and Comments

2- I-fricken-deas! Even the stupidest ones you can come up with! I can probably squeeze it in there some how... now, if its something completely imposible, like "Vash killed Staccato, Milly blows up planet Gunsmoke", then I'm just gonna laugh at you and call you an idiot right in the middle of my story.

Hit the button and, sadly, you'll have to wait for an update... GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT!


End file.
